GAA players sleep rough across Ireland to raise funds for the homeless

Matthew Gault

It was freezing on the streets, but the Solidarity Sleepout warmed the heart as GAA players were among those sleeping rough on the streets.

While many of us were waking up in the comfort and warmth of our beds this morning, hundreds of volunteers across Ireland were coming to the end of a 12-hour stretch on the streets.

Over 400 members of the GAA community took part in the Gaelic Voices for Change’s Solidarity Sleepout on Saturday night. Gaelic Voices for Change hosted the night to raise funds and awareness for the record numbers of Irish people who find themselves without shelter.

As part of the evening, there were sleepouts in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Portlaoise, Naas, Carlow and Belfast among others, as well as New York and Boston.

So far, over €180,000 has been raised for charities in the north and south of Ireland, with funds going to organisations such as St Vincent de Paul, the Simon Communities, Focus Ireland and the Welcome Organisation in Belfast.

You can make a donation by Gaelic Voices for Change’s website. Fair play to everyone involved. It was a brilliantly effective way of raising awareness and it’s great to hear of the amount of money already raised.

https://twitter.com/GaelicVoices4Ch/status/942365834902720513

My message from outside the GPO in Dublin at 5.30am this morning.
With @GaelicVoices4Ch #SolidaritySleepout pic.twitter.com/lnH3d7Vp89

— Ruairí McKiernan (@ruairimckiernan) December 17, 2017

Bedding down for the night!! ended up beside @RorysStories ! #Solidaritysleepout #dublin#gpo pic.twitter.com/8teAGDzGgn

— Conor.mortimer ⚽️ (@Conmort) December 17, 2017

GAA players on a sleep out in front of One of Ireland's iconic buildings to highlight the blight of homelessness. Do what you can #SolidaritySleepout pic.twitter.com/tgvRmzDnNU

— Paul Collins (@paulcollinstipp) December 17, 2017

https://twitter.com/GBegs/status/942128939471958017

A BIG Thank You to @GaelicVoices4Ch for their #SolidaritySleepout tonight at the Cork Court House, Washington St, demanding an end to the #homeless crisis. Please give them your support. pic.twitter.com/bGyikSyVAD

— Cork Simon Community (@Cork_Simon) December 16, 2017

And so we made it through the night, now we pack up and most go home to bed… but for some sleeping beside us they were already “in bed” Homelessness is a stark reality! Thanks to everyone for the support for the @GaelicVoices4Ch #SolidaritySleepout pic.twitter.com/xIiWw8XE1z

— Anna Geary (@AnnaGCork) December 17, 2017